


Smoke and fire

by apathyinreverie



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is a firefighter, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Chairman Meow is the best wingman, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Magnus is a history professor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24567175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apathyinreverie/pseuds/apathyinreverie
Summary: Alec is a firefighter. Magnus is simply a fan.-“Easy,” a voice beside him is saying, a broad hand running soothingly over his back as Magnus continues to cough, his throat still feeling like it is on fire from all the smoke he inhaled earlier. “Just breathe.”It takes him another minute or so to get his breathing back under control, but finally he glances up at his rescuer. Only to be left blinking.Good lord, he thinks to himself.I didn’t even know theymadefiremen this gorgeous.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 54
Kudos: 584





	Smoke and fire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IgnisFelicis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IgnisFelicis/gifts).



> For IgnisFelicis’ never-ending attempts to feed my plot bunnies, forever adding a couple more along the way :)

There is smoke everywhere, thick and acrid and hard to see through, the heat around them intense even despite the mask and protective gear Alec is wearing.

It’s the dense sort of grey smoke twisting with almost black plumes - choking its surroundings, draining the color out of everything and turning the entire world grey and colorless as the heat around them ever-increases - that tells Alec the fire is getting nearer to this part of the building. He’s been in enough house fires to recognize the signs at this point.

Thankfully, the fire started on the other side of this building and based on what he’s hearing over the comms, Izzy seems rather optimistic about managing to put it out before the entire building burns out. Which, however, in no way lessens the danger to everyone not wearing protective gear, the smoke alone just as threatening to the lives of the building’s residents as the fire itself, if not even more so.

At least it’s one of the fancier buildings, meaning larger condos and thus fewer apartments to check and fewer tenants to get to safety.

Though, as awesome as this building looks, no amount of money could ever make Alec willingly live anywhere that doesn’t also have a decent fire protection system in place, like this building clearly doesn’t. You know, based on the lack of functioning sprinklers anywhere. Admittedly, his job as a fireman might make him a little more sensitive to the issue than other people tend to be.

Thankfully, Jace and Alec are already on the top floor, the rest of the building having been cleared by now, only one more apartment to check.

+++

Alec makes sure he has a firm grip on the man currently leaning into his side.

They found him staggering out of his bedroom in his pajamas just as Jace and Alec had broken down the door to the penthouse apartment, the man clearly having been woken by the smell of fire or the general noise throughout the building, but already coughing against the dense the smoke all around them, which is only getting worse now that the open door to the hallway is open, letting even more smoke inside.

They really should get out of here.

Clearly, Jace agrees, turning to start leading the way back into the hallway from the loft they are in. Alec can’t help but note to himself that this guy has got to have a truly stupid amount of money to be able to afford a place like this, much less fill it with things like the art and expensive furniture and old books Alec can see everywhere.

Then again, fires happen everywhere and this is truly not the first time they’ve dragged people out of some of the more luxurious sort of apartments throughout the city.

He shifts his hold around the man’s waist, arm across Alec’s shoulders to make sure he stays upright as they make their way back out of the really rather impressive apartment. _Penthouse living_ , Alec can’t help but think to himself _. How very fancy_.

Thankfully, the man leaning into Alec’s side still seems to have his wits about him even as he continues coughing, but easily following along, just delaying for an instant in the hallway as he stops to jam his feet into some shoes sitting there.

“We’re on our way out,” Alec announces over the comms. “Last apartment cleared. Only one person with us.”

However, at that the man leaning into his side suddenly shifts, coughs, faltering slightly in his steps. “Chairman,” he gasps out, clearly struggling a little for air, but definitely alert enough to try and blink through the thick smoke surrounding them.

Alec frowns at him. _Chairman? Chairman of what?_

Oh, he truly hopes this guy isn’t trying to tell him about his job and how important he is as chairman of this or that company, and how he demands to be given some time to gather some of his stuff to take with him during the rescue, because the world will surely end if he doesn’t take his laptop or paperwork or whatever else with him. That sort of thing happens more often than you’d think and it pisses Alec off like nothing else, if only due to the disregard it shows for Alec and Jace’s own lives just because some moron demands some of their possessions be rescued alongside them.

He can see Jace slightly turning his head to glance back at them, thoughts probably running along similar lines, even as they continue on towards the door.

“Chairman,” the guy gasps again, louder this time, head turning towards the apartment just as they reach the doorway.

Almost like he’s calling someone. And that? That isn’t good.

“Is there someone else here?” Alec asks urgently. He sees Jace immediately spinning around, eyes scanning the apartment they are in.

The man blinks at him, eyes squinting against the smoke, likely unable to see much of anything. “Cat,” he gasps in return.

Ah. Alec feels his mouth twisting down. That’s one of the things he hates about his job. Because when animals smell fire they tend to hide themselves away, and as much as Alec would like to rescue every dog and cat and every single damn goldfish they come across, sometimes they just can’t, have to prioritize their own lives and the lives of those they are trying to rescue over any pets that might be hiding out somewhere. He learned early on that trying to find pets, much less trying to then also catch them, is simply not a risk they can afford taking, no matter how much he’d like to.

But before he can say anything to that effect, the guy is turning his head back towards the apartment, even though he thankfully doesn’t really struggle against Alec’s hold keeping him upright.

“Chairman!” he calls this time, voice scratchy but clearly determined.

Alec doesn’t even get the chance to protest, before there is suddenly a streak of grey and white darting out from under one of the couches, towards them. The cat doesn’t even pause in its mad dash before it is already scrambling up its owner’s leg with liberal use of its claws, tearing holes into the guy’s silk pajamas as it goes.

The man doesn’t even flinch, instead trying to get his free hand under his cat to hold it, slumping against Alec’s side now that his cat is with him. Which, well, considering the sheer amount of artwork and other likely rather-stupidly-valuable things Alec can see distributed around this apartment, is actually rather nice to see. He has been forced more than once to physically drag people out of their homes as they fought to ‘just pack this or that real quick’. So, seeing someone so clearly not giving a damn about their possessions in comparison to their pet is always a nice change.

Though, the guy is clearly wavering now, coughing and leaning his weight more heavily into Alec. Which isn’t a good sign for his levels of smoke inhalation.

They’ve got to get him out of here.

“Jace,” he barks.

Jace hates cats. With a passion. Still, he reaches out, grasps the cat. Which promptly starts struggling, hissing and growling at him. Jace’s dislike of anything feline is definitely reciprocated.

“Let’s go,” Alec just asserts, grip on the man leaning into his side tightening as he leads the way out of the apartment.

+++

Alec shrugs off his fireman’s jacket, far too hot to want to wear it now that they are outside and his job is done.

He is sitting on the steps of one of the ambulances out front, having already gone through the mandatory health check after they got done with their rescues.

All things considered, today actually went rather well. The building towering in front of him is still entirely standing, the fire never having even reached the halfway mark before the team managed to put it out. There are also no casualties as far as they know, all tenants accounted for, although the three people living in the apartment where the fire originated had to be taken to the hospital to be treated for their burns, alongside a few cases of more severe smoke inhalation. But mostly it’s just cases of mild smoke inhalation being treated right here in the various ambulances scattered about.

Like the one Alec is at right now.

And so what if this _coincidentally_ also happens to be the ambulance where the last guy they pulled out of the building is currently being checked over by one of the paramedics, oxygen mask on his face to counteract the smoke inhalation. The man had made it out of the building mostly on his own power, conscious even if barely so, but his strength had given out on him pretty much the moment they stepped out onto the street, making Alec more or less carry him the remaining distance to the nearest free ambulance.

So what if – as soon as they reached the outside – Alec maybe noticed how perfectly the man had fit into his side along the way. So what if Alec might also have noticed just how incredibly pretty the man is while helping him up into the ambulance. So what if he can’t seem to get the man’s breathtakingly lovely smile as he rasped a genuine ‘thank you’ at Alec before the EMTs took over out of his mind.

So what if Alec then _coincidentally_ chose this particular ambulance to let himself get checked over as well.

Hey, it makes _sense_ for him to just stay where he dropped off his last rescuee, doesn’t it?

Yeah.

He tries to surreptitiously glance behind himself where the paramedic is still checking said man’s breathing.

Though, he quickly turns away again when he hears Jace approaching from his right. He so absolutely doesn’t want either of his siblings picking up on Alec’s possible interest before he at least manages to exchange a sentence or so with the man they just pulled from the building, if only to see whether there is actually anything _there_ or not.

And, yes, Alec definitely _hears_ Jace approaching before he ever sees him. Mostly due to the fact that the cat Jace is still trying to hold on to is continuing to put up quite a fight, yowling and hissing and trying to tear at his arms with its claws, the only reason it hasn’t managed to escape yet being the fact that Jace is still wearing his full protective gear, sans his mask and helmet, rendering the cat’s claws rather useless in comparison.

Notably, there _are_ several neat scratch marks on Jace’s chin, so the cat clearly got its hit in the moment it spotted unprotected skin.

Alec grins slightly. _Kudos for those killer instincts._

“This thing is the devil,” Jace promptly asserts with a scowl as soon as he stops in front of where Alec is leaning back against the ambulance door.

“I told you not to try and force it inside that pet carrier,” Izzy – stepping up on Jace’s other side – interjects brightly.

Jace huffs. “How was I to know it would immediately go berserk the moment it saw the carrier. I’d have kept my mask on if I’d known,” he grumbles.

 _Ah,_ Alec thinks humorously. _So, that’s how he got the scratch marks on his chin._

Outwardly, he just huffs in exasperated amusement. “Give it here,” he says, reaching out as he does so. Because in contrast to Jace, he quite adores cats.

Also, taking care of the cat seems like an excellent excuse for him to stay behind a little, at least until the gorgeous man in the ambulance behind him is done getting checked over by the paramedic, so Alec can then hand him his pet and coincidentally strike up a conversation. _Without_ tipping off his siblings to his ulterior motives.

He really doesn’t want either of them figuring out that he might have any additional incentive for wanting to stick around here for a while longer.

With how rarely Alec ever shows even the vaguest interest in _anyone_ , his siblings tend to get rather stupidly invested whenever he does, forever cheerfully injecting themselves into his personal business. But he definitely doesn’t need their meddling before he has even had the chance to find out the man’s name much less figure out whether that instant pull of attraction he felt earlier could possibly lead anywhere.

At his request to get to hold the cat, Jace just glances at Alec’s now unprotected arms, before he shrugs, “Your funeral, man,” and immediately drops the cat into his lap, clearly happy to be rid of it.

The cat lands halfway against Alec’s chest, still growling in Jace’s general direction while trying to find purchase despite the sudden drop, claws extended, immediately piercing through his shirt and leaving nice long scratches along his arms.

A second of continued hissing while the cat clearly assesses the change in location.

And then it just settles down, sits down in Alec’s lap like this is exactly where it had been planning to be all along, delicately balancing with its front paws on his arm, peering around his shoulder to stare intently into the ambulance behind him but not doing anything to get closer to its owner, apparently seeing no problem with staying right where it is. In Alec’s lap.

There is a pause.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jace demands incredulously.

At that, Izzy just starts laughing outright and Alec shrugs, mouth tilting into a smirk as he then – more than happy to add insult to injury – easily reaches out to run a hand along the back of the cat in his lap, calmly petting it.

It immediately buts its head against Alec’s hand in approval, before sitting back in his lap and lazily starts cleaning its paws with that imperious, unconcerned, you-are-all-beneath-me-keep-petting-me-peon air only cats ever manage to project quite this effectively.

Jace stares for another second, before he huffs, throwing up his hands in exasperation. “I’m leaving,” he gripes, turns to stomp off towards their fire truck, grumbling to himself, his mood likely not helped by Izzy following right behind him – after having thrown another amused glance Alec’s way – cheerfully needling Jace for his inability to handle a mere housecat as she goes.

Alec’s grin widens as he watches them leave, happy to keep petting the cat in his lap and to wait until he can hand it back to its owner.

Yeah. 

Alec is perfectly fine with waiting right here for a while.

+++

Magnus tries to breathe normally as best he can while he answers the paramedic’s questions, does the breathe-in-breathe-out-breathe-deeply routine he is being prodded into while sitting on a stretcher in an ambulance in front of his own home. Which almost burned down. With him and Chairman Meow in it.

Honestly, what a night.

Waking to the smell of fire, stumbling out of his bedroom, finding himself surrounded by thick, dark smoke, the two firemen crashing through the door to his apartment, coming to his rescue, those few moments of desperation as he’d thought he might not be able to get Chairman Meow to come out of hiding.

He’d kept an eye on the fireman carrying his cat the entire way, so he knows Chairman made it out just fine, even if he put up quite the fight, spirited as always in showing his approval of anyone he doesn’t like trying to hold him, undeterred by the smoke all around them. There is a reason why Magnus so absolutely adores his cat.

A glance over the paramedic’s shoulder through the open ambulance doors at least shows him that his building seems to still be very much intact, the fire seeming to have been put out by the time Magnus had been dragged outside, so he is kind of hopeful that his own apartment might not have actually been too affected by the fire itself.

Though, the first thing he’ll need to do once the paramedics give him the all-clear is to find an overnight vet to check Chairman over. He honestly has no clue whether cats handle smoke inhalation better or worse than humans do, so better safe than sorry. Thankfully, he at least grabbed his phone on the way out of the apartment, so he’ll be able to call Cat or Ragnor and ask whether he can stay with one of them until this entire situation is resolved…

In his distraction of considering what he’ll have to do next, he almost misses the paramedic declaring he is done with his check up, that he only has a case of mild smoke inhalation, but to keep breathing through the oxygen mask until someone tells him otherwise, and then turning around to leave.

Magnus immediately lifts the mask, wanting to ask about Chairman’s whereabouts, attempts to call after the paramedic, but instead immediately descends into a coughing fit.

His throat feels like it is on fire.

There is some rustling, the sound of someone coming closer, a different voice than the paramedic’s suddenly speaking from right next to him, “Easy.” He feels a broad hand running over his back soothingly. “Just breathe.”

It takes Magnus a while to get his coughing under control again, while the person in front of him continues talking. Magnus is even fairly certain he recognizes the voice from earlier as one of the firemen who had appeared in his loft to get him out of there.

 _How convenient_ , he thinks. _I’ll even be able to thank him in person._

Just as soon as he gets his coughing back under control.

It takes him another minute or so, but as soon as his breathing returns to vaguely normal, he finally glances up at who is pretty sure is one of his rescuers.

Only to be left blinking.

Okay. Definitely a fireman based on the rather recognizable uniform pants he is still wearing, however, not just _any_ fireman. But rather the most gorgeous fireman to ever walk this earth.

_Good lord, I didn’t even know they **made** firemen this gorgeous._

He blinks at the guy sitting on the bench next to where Magnus himself is sitting on the stretcher, their knees almost brushing.

“You alright?” the man is asking carefully, watching Magnus and still leaning forward, arm outstretched, hand still on his back where he had been soothing him through his coughing fit, all pale skin and gorgeous features, hazel eyes focused on Magnus in definite concern.

_Well, isn’t this a lovely sight to make up for this rather eventful night._

Which isn’t even mentioning the fact that right there, in the man’s lap, is Chairman Meow, apparently having set up camp in the fireman’s arms, happily purring up a storm. Not that Magnus can’t relate. He’d likely be purring as well if he were in Chairman’s place right now.

_Maybe we could share…_

The guy follows his line of sight, something sheepish promptly entering his expression. “Your cat refused to let anyone else hold him and when Jace tried to get him into a pet carrier, about removed his head in the attempt.”

 _Oh dear_ , Magnus thinks, immediately feeling all warm and fuzzy at someone taking care of his cat _. He stuck around because Chairman Meow liked him best?_

He smiles, can’t help it. Because, honestly, how adorable is that. “Oh, I absolutely believe that,” he rasps in return, voice scratchy though sadly not really in the sexy way. “He doesn’t like anyone telling him where he is supposed to go.”

“So, just like any other cat, then, you mean?” tall-dark-and-oh-so-adorable smiles in return, lips quirking up on one side.

“Exactly,” Magnus nods, swallows against his scratchy throat but not at all willing to stop talking right now.

Sore throat from inhaling too much smoke aside, tonight is already starting to look up.

Not only did he get rescued from a fire without any real damage to himself, but with his building apparently still standing in its entirety, Magnus is hopeful he might even still have a home to get back to. Which isn’t even mentioning that he also happened to be rescued by the absolutely most gorgeous fireman to ever live.

A fireman who is also still holding his cat.

And isn’t that a rather lovely image Magnus absolutely wouldn’t mind getting used to.

“Thank you for keeping him company,” he smiles instead, makes it warm and grateful. “And, of course, for rescuing me and Chairman Meow in the first place.”

“It’s my job,” the fireman immediately waves off, something almost embarrassed about him as he does so.

_Goodness me, don’t tell me someone as stunning as him is actually shy? Because that would just be…_

“Hm,” Magnus hums, keeps his eyes unwaveringly fixed on the gorgeous man in front of him. “Still. _Thank you_ ,” he emphasizes again, watches the man’s smile turn almost bashful at the repeated thanks.

 _So so adorable._ Honestly, how is Magnus supposed to in any way resist someone like this? Gorgeous and kind and – by the way he is handling Chairman Meow – definitely gentle and to top it all off at least a little bit shy, not to even mention that he apparently also spends his days saving people’s and their pets’ lives… Yeah, Magnus can already tell that he won’t stand a chance against this one.

“I’m Magnus,” he supplies, reaches out his hand to shake even as he tilts his head just so, looking up slightly through his lashes at the gorgeous fireman who not only rescued Magnus but also his cat and then apparently even stuck around afterwards.

“Alec,” he replies immediately, eyes just as intently fixed on him as he reaches out as well, their hands fitting perfectly together. Before he then – for some reason – amends, “Alec Lightwood.” Like Magnus has any interest in calling him by his last name.

“Alec,” he repeats lowly, their gazes still locked, getting himself another slight, somewhat quirked, but somehow still oh-so-radiant smile. Sadly, that’s also the exact point in time Magnus’ throat finally gives up on him, can’t help his cough this time. Honestly, his throat feels like someone might have taken some sandpaper to his vocal cords.

“Ah,” Alec says, something sheepish returning to his expression again. “Here, let me get you some water.”

He holds Chairman out for him to take and Magnus just smiles beatifically as he does, momentarily distracted by his cat. Boy, is he ever so relieved they are both fine. Sure, he hopes that his apartment might have made it through tonight without too much damage done to his possessions. But the most important thing is that he and Chairman made it out alright. Everything else can always be replaced.

And, well, Magnus is getting the definite impression that if he plays his cards right, he might even get himself an adorable fireman out of the entire ordeal. Which would make tonight more than worth it. He feels his lips tilting up a little further at that thought.

“Good job, Chairman,” he whispers not-so-quietly, eyes tracking Alec’s movements as the man twists in his seat across from Magnus to get at one of the cupboards to the side. “You absolutely deserve a reward once we get out of here.” Chairman purrs, rubs his head against Magnus’ chest, suddenly reminding him that he is in fact still wearing his pajamas, the top only halfway buttoned as he usually tends to go to bed.

Then again, there are worse looks than lounging about in silk pajamas.

An assessment that Alec clearly agrees with as he turns back around, going by the way his eyes flick down briefly to focus on Magnus’ partially exposed chest, before holding out a bottle of water to him, cap already unscrewed.

“A reward?” the lovely fireman then asks.

How nice of him to give Magnus such a wonderful opening to lead into a request for a date. Though, going by the genuine question in Alec’s eyes, he doesn’t really seem to be aware of that fact. Which makes it all the more charming in Magnus’ not-entirely-unbiased opinion.

Magnus can’t help but let something deliberately flirtatious curl at the corners of his smile, lets it widen a little at the way Alec’s eyes flick down to briefly focus on his lips before his eyes fly upwards again.

“For keeping you here,” Magnus then supplies easily as he reaches for the bottle, lets their fingers brush as he takes it.

Alec blinks at him, rather obviously taken aback though something speculative and attentive seeping into in his eyes now, clearly picking up on where this might be going.

“Keeping me here,” Alec then not-quite-asks slowly.

_Seriously, this one couldn’t possibly get any lovelier._

“Hm,” Magnus hums in agreement, softly runs his hand along Chairman Meow’s back as he delicately sips the water, the relief it brings to his scratchy throat rather immense, but still makes sure to keep his eyes fixed on Alexander, delights in the way the lovely fireman clearly can’t quite make himself look away from Magnus either. “A reward for keeping you here until I had a chance to ask for your number.”

He watches Alec’s eyes widen the slightest bit in reaction, so clearly surprised at the rather straightforward flirting. Magnus just lets his lips tilt into something warm and inviting and definitely a little coy now, as he adds, “And whether you’d be amenable to letting me take you out for dinner some time.”

 _Well, what do you know_ , Magnus thinks delightedly to himself as he eyes the slight blush now on Alec's cheeks. _He **does** get even lovelier after all._

Alec takes another second to blink at him, the honest surprise really rather endearing, but – with the way he is still watching Magnus, eyes intent on him, still leaning slightly forward in his seat, body tilted towards him – it’s rather clear that he has no problem making his returned interest just as obvious.

Magnus can relate. It has been a long time since he felt a connection anywhere near this instant with anyone, this immediate attraction, this draw between them something entirely new.

"I'd like that," Alec finally returns softly, a small, somewhat bashful but definitely pleased smile quirking his lips as he meets Magnus' eyes.

He feels his own smile tilting into something warmer and definitely appreciative in reaction, already rather ridiculously taken with this gorgeous firefighter in front of him.

Yes, he would very much like to keep this one.

Sitting in Magnus' lap, Chairman Meow just continues to purr, the soft sound only kicking up a notch when Alec then reaches out to pet his fingers over Chairman's head, his cat clearly feeling rather pleased with himself and the overall situation.

 _Quite deservedly so_ , Magnus thinks to himself. Chairman Meow absolutely deserves a treat for being such an excellent wingman – wing-kitten? wing-meow? – tonight.

If getting to take this lovely man out on a date is what ultimately comes of this entire ordeal, then - fire aside - Magnus thinks tonight will have been absolutely worth it.

He watches as Chairman buts Alec's hand with his head, apparently having decided that this human is his now and is thus required to serve as his petting peon same as Magnus, watches the warm smile on Alec's face as he indulges the cat's demands with more scritches, can't quite drag his eyes away from the other man, especially when Alec then glances up at Magnus again, all dazzlingly crinkled eyes and gorgeously dimpled smile as he meets his gaze once more.

 _Yes_ , Magnus thinks to himself, feels an answering smile tilting his lips. _So definitely worth it._

**Author's Note:**

> So, I have no idea where this came from (and I also haven’t got the slightest clue how fire rescues actually work, neither during nor after, much less in a country not my own, so I claim creative license for all of it), but this scene just popped into my head and then it wouldn't let go of me. So, here, have some Malec fluff.
> 
> Would love to know what you think :D


End file.
